jeff

Hello

I have a continuing problem with alcohol. I have call AA hotline. but am afraid of going. I have no idea how these meetings work. what if I run into some i know. It would be very embarasing. I want to quit very bad. I have tried several times but have always went back to drinking. My wife has stoped yelling at me for my drinking but I know it hurts her to see me drink evey night. I know my health is in seriouse trouble if I continue. I just want to stop. I have been drinking for a long time and it has become a problem for me help please

jeff

Ninerfan

Jeff, you won't die of embarrassment but alcohol will kill you. Or worse. Find out where the meetings are in your area and go, don't think about it, just go. Take a seat and listen. Get a Big Book if you can and read it. That is the best advice I can give right now.

N

Music

Hi Jeff,
I know how you feel!
We all seem to have a moment of truth. I believe that happens when "what we've lost, or are about to lose, becomes more important than the drinking." Until that happens, we seem to balk at taking the steps we need to take in order to change.
You mentioned being afraid of going to meetings.
When drinking scares you more than the meetings you'll go.
You mentioned no knowing how the meetings work.
You know how drinking works, that's why you keep doing it.
When not knowing what the drinking is going to bring you
scares you more than the meetings, you'll go.
You mentioned running into someone you know and being embarassed.
Don't know about you, but I used to do things drunk that
were way more embarassing than meeting someone at an
AA meeting. Anyone you know that you would meet there
would probably ask you what took you so long.
When your wife wises up and throws up her hands and says she can't bare to see you kill yourself any more and leaves you, maybe that will have some effect on you...or maybe not.
Fact is, as of today, you haven't had that moment of truth, otherwise you'd have a day sober.
If you're an alcoholic like I am, drinking became a problem right from the first drink....and I mean the very first drink. I still remember mine. I remember what it did and what happened and I still drank more. INSANE!!!
Good luck. Watch for that moment of truth.

hopper

Jeff,
Funny how we all have the same fear. Imagine afraid of running into someone you know at an AA meeting. I had this exact conversation with a newcomer last week. She was afraid of the same thing. If you run into someone you know at an AA meeting, this likely means that they too are alcoholics. The best thing which ever happened to me was to run into someone I knew.
I had the same fear, I think most A's did too.

I could have found a million excuses why I should not go to a meeting......now, I can come up with a million reasons as to why I should and absolutely none for why I shouldn't.

You've probably heard this but I'll say it again because it was true for me. The first time I walked into an AA room, I was home. I never knew what this "coming home" feeling was like. I certainly didn't feel it with my family.

Stay strong and keep coming back!

The Jay Walker

Jeff

I can relate to the way your feeling, I felt the same before I came to A.A.
its funny though because I've only seen 2 people in all this time that I knew before,
but since I have been in recovery, I have had several friends and family members come to me asking how I stayed sober so long and remain happy,
the same people I was embarassed about letting them know of my problem, later turned to me for help with there problem, this program is truely a miracle, give yourself a chance, it can happen for you too.